Chapter 2: A Series of Mistakes

Nora’s POV

No.

Absolutely fucking no.

I try my best to maintain a smile as I greet my uncle Ethan. “It’s good to see you,” my voice cracks. I wince.

“It’s good to see you, too… Nora,” Ethan says.

Oh fuck no, don’t say my name. I guess under different circumstances it would be great, but given the situation, it is far from that.

Ethan’s face is completely tranquil, not a single sign of surprise or horror. How could he be so calm? Maybe he doesn’t remember what happened last night? Or maybe he just doesn’t recognize me? I hope with everything inside me that he doesn’t. The lights were rather low, after all, it’s quite possible.

“What is this, a parent-teacher conference?” my mother laughs. “Give your uncle a hug!”

My spine stiffens as I awkwardly wrap my arms around my uncle, wanting nothing more than a crater to open up in the floor beneath my feet and swallow me whole.

“Dinner should be just about ready,” my mother says cheerfully. “Let me get your father, and we’ll eat!”

She bounces out of the room, and I am left standing alone with Ethan, feeling as if I am about to vomit. He is just as calm as ever. Perhaps this is my lucky day and he truly doesn’t recognize me at all…

“So, how has school been?” Ethan asks. “I heard you got into college early, your mother says you’re quite the clever girl.”

“Oh, it’s… um…” I am at a loss for words. “I have to use the bathroom,” I rush out of the front room as fast as I can.

Dinner with my parents and Ethan that night is hell, as I pretend there isn’t a whirlwind of confusion and disgust in the pit of my stomach. Ethan and my mother and father chat about their lives, which seem so trivial to me in the moment. All I can think about is how I lost my virginity to my uncle.

My goddamn uncle.

My mother’s brother.

What would she say if she knew? What would my father, the Alpha of the Blood Moon Pack, say? I don’t want to imagine.

My grandfather on my mother’s side, Alpha Alexander of the River Pack, lives across the country, so I hardly ever see her side of the family. That’s where Ethan, next in line to become Alpha when my grandfather, lives, hence why I haven't seen him since I was seven years old.

“I’m sorry Father couldn’t make it for Nora’s birthday ceremony,” Ethan takes a bite of his steak. “He knows how important a wolf’s 18th birthday is.”

My mother looks gloomy at Ethan’s words. “It’s alright, I know how ill he’s been lately.”

Ethan places a gentle hand on my mother’s. “Don’t look so sad, Aria, he’s not dying yet.”

My mother smiles weakly, before turning to look at me. “Nora, dear, you’ve hardly touched your food?”

“I’m not hungry,” I pick at my meal with my fork, too repulsed to eat a single bite.

“Are you feeling well?” she asks, concerned.

“I… no, actually, I’m a bit nauseous,” I say. “Can I please be excused to lie down?”

“Of course, dear.”

“Feel better?” Ethan calls out as I head upstairs to my bedroom.

Slamming my door shut, I flop face first into my bed and scream into the pillow, punching the mattress with my fists.

How could this happen?

Of all the men to wonder into that room last night, of all the men to impulsively kiss, of all the men to fuck me, it just had to be my uncle?

I find myself totally unable to sleep that night, tossing and turning under my covers as the memories from the party slip in and out of my mind.

I need a fucking drink to forget everything. Outwardly I am a perfect daughter and good student, but my only way of relieving the pressure is drinking. I will drink more when I’m at home.

Tip toeing downstairs into the kitchen in the dead of night, while my family is fast asleep, I pull a bottle of bourbon out from the cabinet, popping the top off and downing it straight. It burns my throat, but I don’t care, I just wanna be gone.

I crawl back up the stairs and down the hallway on the second floor, too drunk to stand or walk properly. Everything is both upside down and sideways, and I struggle to find my bedroom in my own house.

Shit, I might have overdone it with the bourbon.

In the hallway I nervously pace up and down; suddenly, a familiar and tall figure is approaching me. I lose my balance and nearly fall; the man flings out an arm to stop me from falling.

My uncle only wears a bathrobe. I touch his body for support, only to find his build is rugged, with brawny arms and sturdy abs.

Wow, perfect body.

Unable to restrain myself, I run my fingers over his strapping chest and stomach, not bothering to even glance at his face.

I know it’s wrong, but I am uninhibited from the bourbon, and have a complete lack of control over my actions. All I can see is this beautiful man and his powerful body.

“Nora!” Ethan snaps, slapping my hand away. “What are you doing?”

Startled by his outburst, I freeze and then a little sober. “This is wrong.” Last night was wrong and tonight is wrong as well. I start to whimper.

My uncle becomes flurried.

Suddenly he scoops me up in his arms and carries me to my room. Obviously, he has no interest in anything inside this room.

As he leaves, I can hear him muttering “all of this was a mistake.” I cry myself to sleep, drowning in my tears.

******

The next morning, I am overwhelmed with a level of humiliation I never knew possible as the memories of the night before return to my brain. More than anything, I can’t stop fixating on Ethan’s words; “all of this was a mistake.” What was he referring to? My drunken pawing at him in his sleep? Or the party at Alpha Aaron’s house? Could it be that he really does remember everything?

Jesus fuck, I need to get the hell out of this house before I go absolutely insane.

I could go back to college for a few days, come home for my 18th birthday ceremony, and then leave the next day, spending as little time with Ethan as possible. Then, after the ceremony, I’ll never have to see him again, and this horrible secret will die with us. Nobody has to know.

“Hey Mama,” I walk into the living room.

My mother is reading a book on the couch. “Good morning, darling.”

I bite my lip, nervous. “Well, I’m sorry to ask kind of out of nowhere, but I’ve been missing my friends, and I was wondering if I could go back to school for a few days.”

“But, the ceremony?” my mother frowns, confused.

“I’ll be back the day before my 18th!” I clarify. “I just want to see my friends for a bit.”

Please say yes.

My mother thinks for a minute. “Well, as long as you’re back for the ceremony, I don’t see a problem.”

Yes!

“I’ll tell your uncle Ethan to drive you.”

No!

“Oh… thank you…” I say, unable to think of an excuse for why he shouldn’t.

I swear to heaven, I will be getting a driver’s license as soon as possible.

The drive back to school is beyond painful, as Ethan tries to make small talk with me. All of my responses to him are brief and surface-level. I do not want to talk to him right now. In fact, I cannot think of anyone on this planet that I would want to talk to less.

I gaze out the window at the passing trees and building as we drive down the road, wondering what I did to deserve this as my pathetic, fucked up life?

To my relief, we finally arrive at Lupine University. I quickly grab my bag from the trunk of the car, waving Ethan goodbye without so much as a hug.

But when I turn around, I see the last person I want to see here.

At the schoolgates stands Charlotte, daughter of the Alpha King’s beta. She is a pretty girl with shoulder-length, blonde curls and blue eyes. Charlotte looks up at me, a snide smirk plastered on her face.

“Well, if it isn’t miss Princess herself,” she says. “What brings you back to our small college? I thought you were living your beautiful life at home?”

I cringe at the word ‘princess’ coming from Charlotte’s lips.

“Is everything in your marvellous ceremony going smoothly?” she taunts.

“Yes, everything is just peachy,” She often looks down on me because her father is valued by the alpha king as his beta.

Then Charlotte notices Ethan, “Ooh, I recognize that man. From the party the other night,” she says. “You two entered the room together right? Is he your guest?”

I lump forms in my throat. I swallow it. “He’s not important.”

“Well, guess you two have that in common,” Charlotte cackles, flipping her curls and walking away.

Everytime I am mocked by Charlotte, I do hope someone can help me to punch her. Honestly I am used to her ridiculous words.

It seems my uncle hates my touch. If he finds someone to put his name and mine again, I am afraid this may cause his fury. Charlotte's dad is powerful and Ethan is not capable of confronting him right now.

However, I still hope he can do something. I glance at him quickly and only find him stare at her with no emotion, then he speaks to me

“Bye Nora. I’ll see you in a few days.”